The Bartender
by Xarhaa
Summary: Lucy Stillman isn't sure the man she's watching is the one they want. A vignette, does not fall within the Worlds series.


They ought to have warned her.

Lucy Stillman drummed her fingers against the bar table, unable to tear her eyes off their target, a young bartender.

She cursed silently as he moved along the bar, the light accentuating the intricate tattoo that encircled his left forearm. He was tall, with a slim, statuesque torso outlined by the black T-shirt he wore. He moved down the bar and filled drinks with practiced ease. She noticed he got no shortage of offers from every woman who sat at the bar, but as the night wore on fewer and fewer remained sober enough to persist.

The bar started to go quiet as the night came to a close, and still Lucy watched him, fascinated by his unconscious grace. There was something about him she couldn't place, and it nagged at her.

His gaze was cast at the counter he wiped in slow, bored circles. She watched as he put away the Barkeeper's Friend, folding the towel neatly. Lucy's breath caught in her throat abruptly as he looked up at her and spoke, his voice quiet.

"Why have you been staring at me all night?"

Lucy met his eyes and immediately forgot what she was going to say. His eyes were the color of darkened honey, framed by astonishingly long lashes.

"I...I...uh..." she stuttered, and he sighed impatiently.

"I don't mean to be rude lady, but it's closing time."

Lucy got up, a little unsteady on her feet. The drinks he'd mixed her earlier were apparently hitting her harder than she thought.

She was surprised as he moved toward her, deftly supporting her with one arm. "I don't think it's the best idea for you to drive if you can't even walk," his deep voice admonished.

Lucy shook herself, managing to snap indignantly, "Well it's your fault, you mixed my drinks!"

His laugh was low and soft, and Lucy felt a thrill go through her. "It's not my fault if you can't hold your liquor Miss...?"

Lucy managed to straighten herself out.

"Lucy. Lucy Stillman."

He guided her to a seat near the door. "I'll call you a cab, Lucy-Lucy Stillman."

Lucy growled at his insolent tone. "I'm fine!"

The golden eyes bored into her, one dark brow raised skeptically. "Right. Tell me another one," he drawled, dialing what was obviously a familiar number.

He spoke to someone on the phone a few moments, and then hung up.

"They'll be here in 15, Lucy. You can wait there, but I've got to start closing the register."

Lucy crossed her ankles, waiting, and idly she watched as he moved around the bar, stacking chairs and wiping down the tables. The entire process was very efficient, and when he was finished he shrugged on a white hoodie, grabbing a motorcycle helmet from behind the bar.

"C'mon."

Bemused, Lucy followed him out the door of the bar, watching as he locked it securely. He led her to the curb and shoved his hands in his pockets. Lucy looked askance of him. "Do you always wait with random girls for a cab?"

She said it teasingly, but his tone was serious as he replied, "A few years ago there was a girl who got really drunk. Her friends called a cab for her and left her at the bar. She went out to meet the cab... and they found her in the river a few days later." His gaze was sober as he looked her over.

"Since then I've tried to make sure if a woman was here alone and needed a cab she had someone to wait with her."

Lucy blinked, and fell silent as a cab pulled up. He leaned in to speak a few words to the cab driver, and then he opened the door for her.

Lucy blushed as she looked at him.

"Well...can I at least ask the name of the bartender who cares so much about his customers?"

He smirked a little, his golden eyes glinting in the neon from the bar's sign.

"Desmond."

Lucy offered him a smile. "Desmond...that's got a nice ring to it. Well...thanks Desmond. Maybe I'll see you around."

Desmond closed the door to the cab, and Lucy didn't look back as it pulled away. A pang of sadness went through her as she picked up her cell phone.

"This is Lucy. I've located Desmond Miles."

* * *

**A/N: This is purely a fluff piece, I couldn't even think of a title, but it came to me and so here it is. Also, this doesn't technically fall into my MotW universe.**


End file.
